Tony B Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 Right Phil has been tracing his family tree. He has come across a relation living in Erith in about 1890. The Proffesion is given as Gun Maker's Fitter. The obvious connection is Woolwich Arsenal. Any of the red legs out there have any idea what a Gun Maker's Fitter would do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
private mw Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 a quick google looks like its a person who makes a gun fit to the person like a dressmaker sets up stock ,sights ect :undecided: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted February 22, 2012 Author Share Posted February 22, 2012 (edited) Thanks mate! I've a feeling though in this case we are reffering to the military term of 'Guns' ie Artillery as opposed to small arms. That was the usual military , one size fits no one. So down to Woolwich then for a nose in the Archives. I do know there is in existence (Well about 1990) a journal describing all the trades the Arsenal employed. That would be about the time Armstrong became Chief Enginner. The birth of modern artillery with recoil and smokeles sproppelants. Edited February 22, 2012 by Tony B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
private mw Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 let us know the outcome of your research tony Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rog8811 Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 (edited) My mothers side of the family all hail from Erith and the males of the family all worked in the Woolwich Arsenal. GT uncle Arthur used to chinwag with me about his job, I cannot remember the job title but part of it consisted of taking barrels from the rifling machine, setting them on a jig with three coloured lights arranged to reflect off the internal surfaces of the barrel... He had to look at the light patern then turn the barrel in the correct orientation to "adjust" it with a flannel faced mallet. Edited February 23, 2012 by rog8811 sp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted February 23, 2012 Author Share Posted February 23, 2012 Cheers mate! That's the sort of thing I was thinking of! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted February 23, 2012 Author Share Posted February 23, 2012 My mothers side of the family all hail from Erith and the males of the family all worked in the Woolwich Arsenal.GT uncle Arthur used to chinwag with me about his job, I cannot remember the job title but part of it consisted of taking barrels from the rifling machine, setting them on a jig with three coloured lights arranged to reflect off the internal surfaces of the barrel... He had to look at the light patern then turn the barrel in the correct orientation to "adjust" it with a flannel faced mallet. Spoke to a guy I knew from Halstead today. He said the device your uncle was on about was an Autocolimator. It shines a series of tight focus beams through to reflecting mirrors. When the lights hit the internal surface, provided it is spotlessley clean, the angle of deflection can be measured. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CanadianScottish Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 Tony just a thought with the Erith connection, have you considered Vickers/Maxim? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted February 24, 2012 Author Share Posted February 24, 2012 Tony just a thought with the Erith connection, have you considered Vickers/Maxim? No mate, I hadn't. Must plead ignorance and didn't know they were made round there. I have a think big syndrome about Woolwich and surrounding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CanadianScottish Posted February 24, 2012 Share Posted February 24, 2012 Take a look here:- http://www.crayfordhistory.co.uk/index/history-of-vickers-crayford/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted February 24, 2012 Author Share Posted February 24, 2012 thanks for that. I didn't know the area was so warlike! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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